Academic Abstract Writer
A practical guide to writing research paper abstracts that get your paper read, with structure tips, field examples, and a free submission checker.
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The art of writing a compelling abstract
Your abstract determines whether readers, reviewers, and editors will engage with your paper. An abstract writer needs to balance completeness (covering all required elements) with conciseness (staying within word limits) while making the work sound compelling. Different disciplines have different abstract conventions, experimental sciences often use structured abstracts with explicit subheadings; humanities and social sciences typically use narrative abstracts. This guide covers both approaches with examples.
Abstract writing principles
Write for your audience
Use field-appropriate terminology; avoid undefined jargon even in technical papers.
Lead with the problem
Start with why this research matters before describing what you did.
Be specific about results
Include actual numbers and outcomes, not just 'we found significant differences'.
Avoid citations
Most journals prohibit in-text citations in the abstract.
Match the full paper
Every claim in the abstract must be supported in the paper body.
Use active verbs
Strong verbs ('demonstrates', 'reveals', 'establishes') make abstracts more compelling.
Checks relevant to this topic
Part of our 80+ automated checks
All five elements present
Background, objective, methods, results, and conclusion.
No citations in abstract
Most journals prohibit references in the abstract.
Quantitative results
Specific numerical results rather than vague claims.
Consistent with paper
Abstract claims match paper body content.
The practical edge your peers already use
Across disciplines and career stages, researchers reduce bottlenecks and submit with confidence: clearer drafts, easier guideline compliance, and less back and forth with co‑authors and reviewers.
I use it to review my students' papers. It instantly highlights typos, missing references, and unclear sections, helping me focus my feedback on the quality of the research instead of surface errors.
Ilyass
Professor in Mechanical Engineering, ÉTS Montréal
I relied on it throughout my thesis to strengthen my writing. It suggested clearer phrasing, improved flow between sections, and ensured my references were complete before the final deadline.
Manon
Master's Student in Speech Therapy
I write research in both Portuguese and English, and it adapts perfectly to either language. It provided precise feedback in Portuguese, helping me maintain academic tone and consistency across my drafts.
Afonso
PhD Candidate, UFPE
It gave excellent advice on how to rephrase and present ideas more clearly and concisely. The suggestions helped me refine my arguments and make my research more impactful.
Félix
Postdoc Researcher, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology
A round of suggestions helped to generally refine the text of my paper and, moreover, to present some of its key points in a more focused form.
Oleg
Professor, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University
I use it to review my students' papers. It instantly highlights typos, missing references, and unclear sections, helping me focus my feedback on the quality of the research instead of surface errors.
Ilyass
Professor in Mechanical Engineering, ÉTS Montréal
I relied on it throughout my thesis to strengthen my writing. It suggested clearer phrasing, improved flow between sections, and ensured my references were complete before the final deadline.
Manon
Master's Student in Speech Therapy
I write research in both Portuguese and English, and it adapts perfectly to either language. It provided precise feedback in Portuguese, helping me maintain academic tone and consistency across my drafts.
Afonso
PhD Candidate, UFPE
It gave excellent advice on how to rephrase and present ideas more clearly and concisely. The suggestions helped me refine my arguments and make my research more impactful.
Félix
Postdoc Researcher, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology
A round of suggestions helped to generally refine the text of my paper and, moreover, to present some of its key points in a more focused form.
Oleg
Professor, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University
Frequently asked questions
Background and context: present tense. Methods and results: past tense. Conclusions and implications: present tense. This pattern varies by discipline, check examples in your target journal.
This depends on journal style. Many STEM journals accept 'we' in abstracts. Some journals prefer passive constructions. Check your target journal's published examples.
Lead with the significance of the problem, state your specific contribution clearly, include concrete numerical results where possible, and make the implications for the field explicit in the final sentence.